By Nanci Dixon
I was so surprised, actually shocked, the other day to find out I did not have the right license to drive our motorhome, at least in Arkansas! The RV dealer had repeatedly said, “You don’t need a special license to drive a motorhome.” Well, that was WRONG!
What license is required to drive an RV?
Any RV under 26,000 pounds and under 45 feet is good to go with a standard driver’s license in any state. After that, it gets a bit tricky. For over 26,000 pounds and longer than 45 feet, trailers over 10,000 pounds or with multiple trailers, some states require special licenses.
Special driver’s licenses for some states
Not all states require special licenses for driving or towing over 26,000 lbs. The requirements for driver’s licenses vary in the states that do, between Class A CDL, B CDL, B, C, D, E, F, double RR, and single R. Who knew? Did you know?
- Class A CDL: Commercial CDL—Think commercial semi-truck with tractor trailers or towing multiple vehicles totaling over 26,000 lbs. or a vehicle over 26,000 lbs. and towing a 10,000 lb. trailer.
- Class B CDL: Arkansas has historically required a Class B commercial driver’s license for any vehicle over 26,000 pounds, including RVs. However, in practice, many RV forums suggest that a standard Class D license may suffice for non-commercial RV use, even for vehicles over 26,000 pounds. (Always check your specific state’s DMV for clarity.)
- Class B Non-Commercial License: Some states will issue a Class B non-commercial license even when not strictly required, if requested.
- Class C CDL: Required to drive a vehicle transporting over 16 passengers.
- Class D: Standard, non-commercial driver’s license required to operate a vehicle under 26,000 lbs. and, in some states, personal use RVs over 26,000 lbs.
- Class E: South Carolina’s designation for over 26,000 lbs. for a single vehicle.
- Class F: South Carolina’s designation for driving an RV over 26,000 lbs. and towing 10,000 lbs.
- Double RR: Towing both a fifth wheel and a trailer together.
- Single R: Endorsement in New York state for over 26,000 lbs.
Confused yet?
Geez, are you confused yet? I sure was. I spent my time looking at charts online and found they all differ in states’ requirements. Ones that are not listed as needing special licenses may indeed require one. Ones that are listed as needing one might not. Yep, confusing.
Don’t believe everything you read online
I visited multiple websites, and they all differed to some degree. I am deep into researching this and making phone calls, and I’m finding a number of errors! Did anyone do their research or did AI write all these laws? And remember, don’t believe the RV salesperson either.
Several websites list the RV driving rules across the U.S., but there are discrepancies. Camping World even has a chart, but it also differs from info obtained through calls to several state DMV websites.
Fact check
With all the different information out there, you need to fact-check with your home state for its requirements. Even better than their website is a direct call to the state DMV. I’ve found that getting to the CDL department right away shortens the wait time.
Calling requires dedication to being on hold. And after hours on hold, getting the “Thank you for your patience” does wear thin.
Here are some discrepancies I found from charts or the state’s official websites:
- Minnesota: Although a Class B CDL is listed as needed, a quick call to the DMV CDL department confirmed that no Class B license is required for driving a private RV, so a Class D license is fine.
- Kansas: Kansas is listed as requiring a Class B CDL, but they say it’s not required for non-commercial RV use. They will issue a Class B license if desired.
- New Mexico: New Mexico is listed as needing a Class B CDL or Class E, but, according to a phone call to the New Mexico DMV, it’s not required for non-commercial RV use.
Can I drive in a state that requires a special license if I don’t need one in my state?
If you’re concerned about license requirements in the states you’re driving through, check with that state ahead of time. While most states honor the licenses issued in other states, some states don’t.
In Arkansas, NO! Don’t cross that state line and get stopped without a Class B CDL. They will ticket you. To add more confusion, Arkansas said they were following Federal Guidelines.
What about you?
Do you know anything more about these laws? Do you have any experience regarding a special driver’s license for your RV? Please leave a comment below and explain.
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##RVT1193
Well, it’s about as clear as mud what license is required to drive my big ole beast of a class A diesel MH. At one time after I did my own research, it seemed to me that 5 states required a higher than class D license. For example, TX for TX residents. I think DC required a min of class B for anyone driving a big rig there regardless of state of origin. Bottom line is that I am not worried about the states as much as I am worried about insurance companies NOT covering an accident because a large motorhome driver did not have a proper license for the state the accident occurred in. Thus, I am actually currently enrolled in a free CDL school offered by a local community college.
Sounds like an excellent idea.
Hi Bruce, I’m a retired OTR driver and I know some people that got a CDL B and they wished later on they would have moved up to a CDL A , really not much of a difference in training, just something to think about, you might ask them at the school what they think.
Oddly enough, I’ve never given this topic a second thought. We’ve towed our TT in all the western states and across the south to Houston. Never any problem, but then, we also didn’t get stopped for any reason. I don’t think it’s fair for a state to ticket travelers from another state that doesn’t have the same license requirement. A license does not denote skill or ability. All a cop would have to do is sit at the border and look for state plates of states he knows have different requirements and hand out tickets. License trap?
Well yeah, but they’re just doing their jobs. 🤔
They won’t ticket you due to reciprocity laws. You only have to be in compliance with the laws of the state that issued your driver’s license.
I would hope not. I had a friend with one of those pickups with big oversized tires that stuck out beyond the fender. He lived in NV. While traveling in ID he got stopped because of those tires. He was let go because NV law doesn’t mirror ID law (or so he said). He didn’t get a ticket.
In PA, if your combined GVWR is 26001lbs or the trailer you are towing is over 10000lbs GVWR you need a NON CDL class “A” drivers license. If a Motorhome is over the 26001lbs you need a NON CDL class “B” license.
“Don’t believe everything you read online”!
Actually surprised that States are not requiring additional ability testing related to driver’s aging process. Plus, actual hands on driving test of the driver/RV combination.
My truck and 26 foot TT exceed 45 feet but well under 26000 total weight between the two. I’m not fond of increased regulation, but there’s a case for some increased level of training for longer TT truck combos.
Larry I agree with you 100%, training is key for safety!
Thank you for all the research, Nanci! As far as I know, Tennessee requires no special license to drive an RV and that’s what I have; a standard driver license. A conversation with a colleague several (~10) years ago led me to think that Maryland’s rules are similar to the Arkansas rules described here. That is, after he traded his Georgetown class A for a heavier diesel pusher, he’d need a special license. Have a great day and safe travels!
You may want to recheck the requirements in TN. The DMV will tell you that a Class D license is OK, but the law says “CLASS D. This license shall be issued and valid for the operation of any vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) less than twenty-six thousand one pounds (26,001 lbs.), or any combination of vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) less than twenty-six thousand one pounds (26,001 lbs.)”
Thanks, Chuck. That is true if commercial. However, in the section “Vehicles That Do Not Require a Commercial Driver License,” the first entry is “Recreational vehicles such as a motorhome” (https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/commercial-driver-license.html). Thanks again for motivating me to ensure that I am legal. Safe travels!
In the 1980’s Minnesota started a program of leasing 15 passenger vans to drive-pool groups to reduce the number of vehicles coming into the Twin Cities for work. As a backup driver for our group, I had to obtain my MN CDL license. At that time, my license was good for ANY vehicle except a school bus with passengers. I always thought it was nuts that I held a license to drive a semi with a double trailer with no training or experience.
Conversely, a bit over a decade ago, our son came out of the military licensed to drive any road vehicle the NG owned. And found out Michigan denied him a CDL unless he went back to civilian school to drive essentially the same vehicle on the same roads.
Nanci,
You have to dig deeper. When we got our first motorhome 12 years ago it took me six months in NY state to get to the bottom of the license issue. You can not depend on the information from the people that do automotive licensing. What I found out, at least in NY, is that you have to burrow through to the commercial licensing group. The same people that do only CDLs. They had the correct info and they preformed the the road test so I could get my R restriction (motorhome over 26,000).
I am running out of allowed characters. Comment to be continued.
Call your local DMV, they can clarify this
To complicate further, is the 26000 limit GVWR, GCWR, or UVW?
……or actual current weight of the rig?
GVWR
In Texas 26001 and it is GVWR.
Continued.
When I moved to NM I did the same research, but this time knew where to start. A class E license is required. Since I had the NY R license they just transferred it over. The wording on my NM drivers license is: “CLASS: E-Non-commmercial, exempt – veh over 26,000 lb”.
Unfortunately there is much confusion about this. When I talk to state troopers at RV rallies they often do not know the requirements. I think this is because many states have commercial enforcement divisions, and the majority of troopers that only do non-commercial enforcement.
Your statement don’t believe everything you read online is so true because your statement, “Any RV under 26,000 pounds and under 45 feet is good to go with a standard driver’s license in any state” is not true in Nevada. My TV is a RAM 2500. My 5th wheel’s GVWR is 10,435lbs and 30′ long. Because my RV’s weight is more than 10,000lbs and the combination of my TV and RV is under 70′ I need a “J Endorsement” on my drivers license.
I just got licensed for our Class A motorhome in Texas. Any recreational vehicle driven for personal use and registered at over 26,000 lbs. requires a Class A or B “non-commercial driver’s license.” A single motorhome over 26,000 lbs requires a Class B license. A combo rig 5th wheel/tractor that weighs over 26,000 combined, requires a Class A “non-CDL commercial drivers license” and a driving test for combination vehicles. If you’re already have a Class C automobile license, all you have to do is take the driving test in your rig. No air brake or pre-trip inspection test is required for non-CDL commercial licenses.
Replace those round numbers – 26,000 – with the legal terminology 26,001 or you will fail the written test. We both have TX Cl B licenses since we registered our Phaeton in TX in 2012. Both a written test based on the CDL requirements and a driving test were required. We did this in Livingston which is the Escapee home base and the people were very knowledgable and helpful.
Also in NV if your combined GVWR is over 26,000 you need a Class A NONCDL. I have that as my Chevy 3500 and 5th wheel are around 27,500 combined. My license says that I can’t drive for money, must have an auto transmission, and no drivers physical like a regular CDL requires. I could also do a triple but a lot of states don’t allow triples and don’t reciprocate. A lot of trucking companies pull triples through NV and have yards here in Reno to break down to doubles for CA.
Your state might not enforce the requirements BUT if you have an accident your insurance might reject your claim if you don’t have the proper license.
Not believing everything you read online is so true. For example, Ohio has no non-commercial RV-specific driver licenses. And NO other state can ticket me for not meeting their license requirements because of reciprocity. My state issues no such license so it’s impossible for me to have a Class B or other RV license, period.
Towing laws are not subject to reciprocity but driver licenses are.
Do your homework better next time.
I believe reciprocity holds nationwide UNLESS your RV has a different state license than your driver’s license, like if you registered your RV in another state due to exorbitant registration fees in your state. If so, you then have to go by the laws of the state you are driving through.
No we don’t know what is really required in Texas but neither did DMV when my husband tried to check on it a few years back. He finally went to take a driving test for his license to pull our 5th wheel with our 3500 dually they told him he couldn’t use the RV he had to use another type trailer!! So thank goodness we had a hay trailer that worked. I forget what license he ended up getting but so far so good.
What a wasted article. You might as well said, check with all the states on your own. This article did nothing to clarify or do the research.
What a wasted comment, Spares.🤨 Anyone can tell from the title alone that it’s just putting drivers on notice about varying drivers’ license requirements in different states so that they are aware and check into it. –Diane at RVtravel.com
go back to your comic books….the article opened up a possibility for you to be informed about which type of license is needed in a few states. It was confusing enough with just a few examples, maybe enough to MOTIVATE someone like you into action.
I agree with Diane! I for one at least learned it could be an issue. It did include research and a few tips.
In CA, to tow a fifth-wheel between 10,000-15,000 lb requires an “endorsement “ — passing the written CDL test. Your license states on the back: “Class A restricted to operating 5th wheel travel trailer between 10,000 and 15,000 lbs GVWR.” Otherwise, Class C.
Oh, and I had to help the DMV folks find this in the regs in order to fill out the paperwork for testing.
I live in ohio and I retired from OTR , I just renewed my CDL-A and what I did is I self certified myself that I don’t leave ohio in a commercial vehicle which I don’t, so basically I have a non commercial CDL, also I don’t need a physical either but I wanted to keep my CDL because I have a big motor home with a toad and if I do happen to get stopped the police can’t say anything and also my insurance company can’t say anything in the case of a accident…